A conventional IPL device used for caring a skin includes a main instrument, a foot switch used for controlling irradiation of light, and a handle. The main instrument has an automatic control panel, a power source and a cooling system. In order to exchange a filter accommodated in the handle of the IPL device, a handle bundle or an auxiliary filter must be exchanged.
However, according to the conventional filter exchange scheme, the light filters must be mechanically or electrically rotated in order to exchange the handle bundle or the auxiliary filter, causing inconvenience of filter exchange work. In addition, the loose contact of power lines and signal lines, leakage of cooling water, and penetration of impurities may occur after the filter exchange work has been completed.
FIGS. 5a and 5b show a conventional IPL device 10.
Referring to FIG. 5A, the conventional IPL device 10 mainly includes a body 11, a plurality of optical tube connectors 12a and 12b detachably coupled to the body 11, a plurality of cooling water circulation pipes 13 extending by passing through the body 11 and the optical tube connectors 12a and 12b, and an electric cable 14 extending between the body 11 and an external power source.
Referring to FIG. 5B, a primary optical tube 21 and a secondary optical tube 22 are installed in the optical tube connectors 12a and 12b and the body 11. That is, the primary optical tube 21 and the secondary optical tube 22 are accommodated in the optical tube connectors 12a and 12b, which are coupled with each other by means of a plurality of bolts and nuts, and fixedly inserted to the body 11.
FIG. 6A is a schematic view illustrating an internal structure of the conventional IPL device.
Referring to FIG. 6A, a pipe-shaped flash lamp 15, which is a light source, is longitudinally aligned in the body 11. In addition, the cooling water circulation pipe 13 is aligned around the flash lamp 15 in order to cool the flash lamp 15, and a semicircular reflection mirror 16 is aligned around the cooling water circulation pipe 13.
An optical tube assembly 20 is disposed below the flash lamp 15 in the body 11 of the IPL device 10 (see FIG. 6 so as to emit the light radiated from the flash lamp 15 to the exterior.
FIG. 6B is a schematic view illustrating a structure of the optical tube assembly of the conventional IPL device.
Referring to FIG. 6B, the optical tube assembly 20 includes the primary optical tube 21, the secondary optical tube 22, and a TEM 23, which is a thermoelectric module capable of cooling the primary and secondary optical tubes 21 and 22. Light radiated from the flash lamp 15 installed in the body 11 is emitted to the exterior vertically to the body 11 through the primary aid secondary optical tubes 21 and 22. The light emitted to the exterior radiates onto the skin of the patient through the secondary optical tube 22, which is aligned adjacent to the skin of the patient.
The conventional IPL device 10 having the above construction can radiate lights having various wavelengths, such as 560 to 1200 nm (for skin care), 590 to 1200 nm (for vascular lesion), 640 to 1200 nm (for hair removal), and 700 to 1200 nm (for hair removal), according to the purpose of the skin care. In addition, the optical tube assembly 20 must be disassembled from or reassembled into the body according to the purpose of the skin care.
Therefore, not only it is inconvenient to use the conventional IPL device, but also the loose contact of the power line or the signal line, leakage of cooling water and penetration of impurities may occur.
FIG. 7A is a schematic view illustrating a structure of an optical tube assembly of another conventional IPL device.
The optical tube assembly 30 shown in FIG. 7A is similar to the optical tube assembly 20 shown in FIG. 6B except that the optical tube assembly 30 shown in FIG. 7A has a primary optical tube 31 larger than a secondary optical tube 32 and the secondary optical tube 32 is detachably coupled to a lower portion of the primary optical tube 31.
The optical tube assembly 30 includes a primary optical tube 31, a secondary optical tube 32, and a TEM 33, which is a thermoelectric module capable of cooling the primary and secondary optical tubes 31 and 32. Light radiated from the flash lamp 15 installed in the body 11 is emitted to the exterior vertically to the body 11 through the primary and secondary optical tubes 31 and 32. The light emitted to the exterior is radiated onto a skin of a patient through the secondary optical tube 32, which is aligned adjacent to the skin of the patient.
FIG. 7B is a schematic view illustrating a structure of the IPL device having the optical tube assembly 30 as shown in FIG. 7A.
As shown in FIG. 7B, the secondary optical tube 32 of the optical tube assembly 30 is slidably and detachably installed in a filter guide holder 34, which is integrally formed with lower portions of the optical tube connectors 12a and 12b. 
In the conventional IPL device 10 having the above construction, the secondary optical tube 32, which is a main filter, is slidably exchanged. However, impurities may penetrate into the IPL device 10 or the filter may be damaged when the filter has been exchanged. In this case, it is impossible to normally perform the skin care.